Gold-dredge.



L. R. GAGE, SR.

GOLD DREDGE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27, 1911.

4 1,270,142. Patented June 18, 1918.

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a'wuew tot L. R. GAGE, SR.

GOLD DBEDGE.

APPLICATION FILED APR-27. 19H] Patented June 18, 1918.

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mm: wuamtoz L. R. GAGE, SR-

GOLD DREDGE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27. I91]. 1,270,142.

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L E Al LORENZO B. GAGE, 81%., 0F HOQUIAM, WASHINGTON.

GOLD-DRIED GE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1918.

Application filed April 21, 1911. Serial No. 185,021.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lonenzo R. GAGE, Sr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Hoquiam, in the county of Grays Harbor andState of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Gold- Dredgesand I do declare the following to be a ull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to dredges and more particularly to suction dredges which are operated to obtain gold, platinum, or other valuable metals from the beds of streams or rivers.

The principal object of my invention is to provide in a dredge of this character a novel form of suction head in which means are provided to force the material away from the front of the head so as to permit easy passage of the head through the ore-bearing material.

Another object of my invention is to provide on the suction head means whereby obstructions and large lumps of material which cannot be passed through the head itself may be readily removed and passed over and away from the head without obstructing the passage of the same.

' Another object of my invention is to provide in a suction head on a dredge of this character means to control the flow of orebearing material through the head, and means to regulate the velocity of the material passing through the same.

A further object of my invention is to provide in a dredge of this character means whereby disintegrating jets are directed against the ore-bearing material in front of the head in such a manner that they will cooperate with mechanism carried on the head itself, whereby to disintegrate the material in front of the head to permit ready assage of the ore-bearing material through the head itself. A still further object of my invention is to provide a dredge of this character which embodies a novel construction and arrangement of parts and which is easily operated and adaptable to all conditions under which it might be called upon to operate.

With these and other general objects in view which will appear from the description, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts 'to be hereinafter more fully described and Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the head, the

conveyer being shown as removed;

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section through the head taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line 66 of Fig. 3.

Briefly described, my invention comprises substantially a portable body provided with suitable propelling means and having a sluice box mounted on the upper portion of the body frame. Depending from the frame and supported by means of a pipe having communication therewith is disposed a suction head for gathering ore-bearing material from the bottom of streams, rivers, and the like. Means are provided for raising and lowering the head with respect to the body frame, and a suitable pump is mounted on the frame for drawing material through the head and through the supporting pipe, and is disposed for discharge into the upper end of the sluice box mounted on the body frame.

Means are provided for directing water against the material in front of the suction head whereby the head will be allowed to travel easily over the ore-bearing material, which means comprises a force pump suitably mounted on the body frame and having connection with a series of nozzles disposed suitably with respect to the suction head to accomplish the desired result. As a means of removing obstructions from'the path of the head, a conveyer is mounted on the head itself and an operating connection extends between a suitable motor mounted on the frame and the conveyer for actuating the same, whereby all obstructions and pieces of material too large to be entered in the intake of the suction head will be picked up and conveyed away from the mouth to the intake, thereby preventing clogging of the same.

Referring more particularly to the drawings in detail, I have shown and described in this embodiment, my invention as ape plied to a dredge comprising a frame 1 constructed of heavy'steel 'beams or other suitable mat rial and mounted upon suitable tractor w eels 2. v The two rear wheels are provided with suitable tractor members and are connected by means of a .belt drive or sprocket and chain gearing connection to a motor 3 which is suitably disposed at. any desired point in the body frame 1 for driving connection for the dredge frame. Sui't able gearing is provided for throwing the motor drive in or out of engagement as desired, and a means for propelling the frame forwardly is provided at the front end of the same and consists of a capstan or wind lass 4 suitably adapted for operation and upon which is wound a cable 5 having ts free end adapted for connection to any sultable anchorage disposed at a desired point on the banks of the stream or at any place preferred'in advance of the machlne for drawing the same thereto.

This means of transportation and drive as well as the manner of mounting the frame is merely described and illustrated in order to show one manner of applying my invention, and I desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself to this specific form as it is obvious that the invention may be used upon any suitable frame mounted in any desired manner, depending entirely upon existing individual conditions, which may call for the use of floats instead of tractor wheels, or for sled runner supports, or in fact, for any type of support or means of propelling the machine, the construction and type used being controlled entirely as I have stated above, by the exigencies of the individual conditions under which the machine will be called upon to operate.

Suitably mounted on the body frame of the dredge and inclined downwardly from its front to its rear end, is disposed one'or more sluice boxes 6 as may be desired, into the upper end of which is adapted to discharge the suction pipe which is connected to the suction head as will be hereinafter described. At the rear end the sluice box is provided with an outlet chute for dis-' chargin the tailings at the rear of the machine. epending from [the body of the dredge frame is a suction head 7, the de-. tails of which will be hereinafter described,- which is provided with the conveyer pipe extending from its rear end as at 8 and connected to a communicating conveyer pipe rigidly mounted-in the body of the dredge frame as at 9, which pipe discharges -into the upper elevated front end of thesluice box Connected to the pipe 9 and disposed at a y suitable point on the dredge frame is a; powerful suction pump 10 operated from the motor 3 by means of suitable gearing or by any other source as desired, for drawing the. ore-bearing material up emma through the suction head, and communicating plpes to discharge the same into the sluice box. At the rear end of the machine the conveyer pipe 9 is extended downwardly and secured by means of a bracket 11 and is hingedly connected at its lower end to the conveyer pipe 8 leading from the suction head, whereby'to permit of'a vertical swing of the head in order that the same may be drawn up against the bottom of the dredge frame whendt is desired to suspend operation of the dredge. The downwardly projecting portion of the pipe 9 with the hinged connection carrying the conveyer pipe 8 is so disposed that when the suction head 7 is in lowered position, the line of strain, owing to the forward movement of the dredge, will be taken up by the pipe 8 and on the hinged connection with the pipe 9 at the oint of connection as at 12, whereby an e cient brace will be provided which will evenly distribute the strain, thereby eliminating all danger of anyundue stress being placed upon parts of the dredge which are not calculated to Withstand the strain applied. The connection just described forms one element of a support for the suction head, the other element of the support comprising a stirrup 13 composed of .a pair of substantially triangular metal arms riveted to the sides of the head 7 and apertured at their upper ends to receive the free end of a cable or chain connected to a Windlass 14 suitably disposed at any desired point on the frame of the dredge, whereby the suction head 7 may be raised or lowered as desired on the hinged connection 12.

Having thus described in detail the con- 1 nection of the conveyer pipes leading from the suction head' to the sluice box, with the suction pump in connection therewith, as well as the means for vertical adjustment of the suction head, I will now pass to the description of the head itself and its improved and novel manner of construction, in detail. The head comprises a substantially wedge-shaped body having its .top and bottom converging from its rear to its front end, and its side walls diverging from its rear to its front end, and being substantially rectangular in cross section.

To the side walls 15 of the head are riveted or otherwise suitably secured, the arms 13 as hereinbefore described, and connected through the rear wall 16 of the Suction head is disposed the suction conveyer pipe 8 leading to the sluice box on the body of the dredge as described. A removable top 17 is provided for the head which extends from the rear wall 16 to a point spaced inwardly and adjacent the front end and is secured to the walls of the head by means of suitable clamping members actuated by handles 18 by which the top may be removed when, it is desired to reach the interior of the chamber formed within the suction head for the purpose of cleaning or adjusting the same. Inclined downwardly from the top toward the bottom and slanted toward the front end of the head and disposed adjacent said end but spaced inwardly therefrom, is a flat bar or plate 19 which is formed integrally with the side walls 15 of the head and extends transversely therebetween. The lower edge of this plate is spaced above the bottom of the head to provide an intake slot adjacent the front end of the head designated at 20. Owing to the disposition and inwardly spaced arran ement of this plate 19, the intake slot wil be spaced inwardly from the end of the head, which endwill form an outwardly projecting shovel lip 21 comprising the outer end portions of the two side walls and the bottom of the head. This shovel lip portion 21 will project outwardly beyond and below the bottom slot 20 and will enter the material to be dredged and receive and guide the same thereon inwardly through the intake slot to the chamber within the suction head, from whence it is suitably conveyed to the sluice box on the frame of the dredge as hereinbefore described.

I provide a closure plate 22 which is adapted to slide over the plate 19 and project downwardly over the lower edge thereof to regulate the size of the intake slot 20. The two plates 19 and 22 respectively are provided with alined elongated a ertures in their central portions through w ich is extended a bolt or other suitable fastening member 23 by which the plate 22 may be adjusted at any desired point on the plate 19 to re date the size 0 the intake aperture 20. his plate 22 is formed to conform in outline with the inclosing Walls 15 of the head so that it will readily move within the same without binding upon the side walls.

Spaced slightly inwardly from the intake slot 20 and disposed within the chamber formed at the interior of the suction head is mounted a swinging foot valve 24 journaled between the side walls for oscillation therebetween and connected to any suitable operatin means disposed externally of the walls of t e suction head which may or may not be connected to the operating mechanism disposed on the frame of the dredge, as desired. The function of this valve which swings inwardly, 'upon being actuated, is to regulate the pressure of the flow of the materialtherethrou h. It coacts with the re alating plate 22 disposed over the intake s 0t 20 to regulate the size and velocity of. the material passing through the suction head. Disposed entirely over the base or bottom of the suction head and suitabl secured at its front end to the bottom of the head in such a manner that the rear end is allowed to swing vertically in the chamber formed in the head, is a riflle plate 25 which is provided at spaced intervals with a series of transversely arranged parallel rifile members 26 for a urpose to be hereinafter described. The? plate is secured substantially at the base of the foot valve 24:, and is apertured adjacent its rear end to receive therethrough the stem of a bolt 27 extending upwardly from the bottom of the suction head and suitably mounted therein with a portion thereof extending externally of the bottom and provided with means whereby the stem may be rotated to raise or lower the adjacent end of the baffle plate 25 within the chamber.

The connection between the rifile plate and the bolt stem may be any specific construction desired and -I do not confine myself to any particular details of this connection other than to generally show a nut member 28 which is so connected to the rifile plate and threaded on the bolt stem that it may be moved upwardly and downwardly upon the stem when the same is actuated to raise or lower the baflle plate within the chamber. The angle, at which the baffle plate is secured is an important factor in determining and adjusting the velocity at which the material being dredged is permitted to flow through the suction head, and comprises an important part of my invention, inasmuch as it forms an ore separating means within the suction head, renderin the suction head practically a sluicebox 1n itself.

As the ore carrying material is dischar ed inwardly through the intake slot and fTuot valve aperture against the angled riflle. plate 25, the particles of the material will be broken up upon impact with said plate, and the heavier ores and )recious metals will be caused to settle in t e pockets formed by the riffle members 26, whereby they may be collected and retained within the suction chamber, thereby preventing the loss of valuable metals which would otherwise be dislodged from the mass of ore-bearing material and settle back out of the intake slot and be lost along the bed of the stream or river in which the machine is operating. The suction pipe 8 referably enters the chamber formed wit in the suction head through the rear wall and centrally disposed in the wall and is spaced above the bottom of the suction .head and adjacent the top so as to insure of the separating chamber with the riflle plate and rifiles therein operating at all times under full capacity.

In the forward motion of the machine, considerable pressure is required to force the shovel lip 21 inwardly into the material bein dredged at the front of the suction hea and as a means of reducing this pressure and thereby providing a more efficient ront end or edge of this bafiie I dredge, I provide a chamber 29 formed on the bottom of the suction head adjacent the shovel lip and consisting of the outwardly 31 of the chamber 29 will be disposed slightly below the bottom portion of the shovel lip and have its outer end spaced below and in parallel relation with the edge of the Ii 21, whereby to provide a nozzle for the lscharge of a transversely disposed hydraulic jet in advance of the shovel lip 21 which will tend to disintegrate the material in front of the lip and considerably reduce the pressure required to force the 11p through the material.

. The nozzle chamber 29 is formed preferably over only a portion of the base of the suction head adjacent the front edge and is in connection with the pressure pipe 32 which is extended rearwardl along the bottom of the suction head an brackets or retaining members and is in communication by means of a flexible connection 33 with the discharge pipe 34 of a force pump 35 which is disposed at any desired advantageous point, on the body of the dredge frame and which is provided with an intake 36 normally extending downwardly into the stream or river in which the dredge is operating so that the pump will be supplied with water in order to produce a hydraulic 'et of considerable force below the mouth of the shovel lip 21 as described.

Depending from the frameof the dredge and connected to the discharge pipe '34 of the force pump, is a spur pipe 37 extending downwardly and spaced in advance of the suction head and which is provided at its lower end with a nozzle portion 38 having hinged connection as at 39 with the spur ipe 37'so that the nozzle portion 38 will be disposed on the top of the material comprising the bed of the stream in such a manner thatit may bedrawn thereover when thedredge is carried forward and allowed, ow-

' ing to the hinged connection 39, a certain flexibility when brought into contact with boulders or other objects disposed on the bed of the stream and in the path of the member. The nozzle portion 38 of the spur pipe 37 is directed rearwardly of the machine and disposed for discharge slightl above and in advance of the suction head: and its function is to deliver at all times a disintegrating jet at the surface of the ore carrying material in front of the suction head, coacting with the jet from the nozzle disposed below the shovel lip 21 to loosen and dislodge the material in front of the suction head.

secured by suitable aevoaea It has been found that in the operation of this type ofdredge large boulders and other objects will fr uently lodge in th mouth of the intake an obstruct, the passage of the ore-bearing material through the suction head and in other ways impair the eficiency of the dredge and cause much damage to the f same at the rear of the suction head so that 4 they will not interfere with the future operation of the head. The means which. I have described comprises a series of sprocket wheels 40 mounted on a shaft 41 secured in the two side walls of the suction head and at the front end of the head and disposed in advance of the inclined cover plate 22.

Suitably secured to the sides 15 of the suction head and at the rear end thereof are brackets 42 adapted at their outer ends to receive therethrough a shaft 43 onwhich is mounted a plurality of sprocket wheels ad in longitudinal alinement with the sprocket wheels 40 on the shaft at the front end of the suction head. At one end of the shaft 43 a worm wheel 4:5 is splined thereon for operative engagement with a worm 46 incased in a suitable protective casing 47 and suitably secured by brackets or any suitable means to the suction head. The worm 46 is operated through the medium of a flexible connecting gearing 48 extending to and having connection with the motor on the dred e frame or having connection with any suitable source of power desired.

Extending over the sprocket wheels are endless chains 49 and transversely extending between these chains and suitably con nected thereto are spaced bars 50 having up raised fingers or teeth 51 formed thereon at head and carried upwardly away from the head and dropped at the rear of the suction head. The fingers 51 formed on the conveyer will also act as a series of rake teeth and form guard bars disposed in front of the intake slot 20' to prevent large pieces of material from clogging therein. The con- ,veyer is suitably elevated above the top of the suction headby means of rollers 52 mounted in standards 53 extending upwardly from each side of the suction head at the point of commencement of the downward incline of the plate 19.

Owing to the wedge-shaped construction of the head and the inclined disposition of the intake slot adjustin plate 22, it will be seen that independent y of the conveyer mounted on the top of the head, the materal will be caused to travel upwardly over the head when the particles are too large to be assed through the intake slot. By the adition of the conveyer, and owin to its disposition at the front end by whic it acts as a guard for the intake slot, positive means are provided for disinte ating the material in front of the suction ead and conveying away the larger particles and depositin them at the rear of the head as describe The conveyer is greatly assisted in its operation by means of the rearwardly directed hydraulic jet emanating from the nozzle portion 38 of the spur pipe 37 in connection with the force pump 35 on the frame of the dredge.

Hence it will be seen that I have provided a dredge which is very efiicient in operation and is designed specifically to meet the requirements of the varying conditions encountered in the operation of dredges of this character in the most eiiicient manner possible. Owing to the vertical adjustment Eermitted b the construction of the suction ead, it wil be seen that my dredge is enabled to cover a wide range m its operation, and owing to the coaction of the hydraulic jets and t e conveyer disposed at the top of the suction head, any lodging of the material in the mouth of the intake or any blocking of the forward travel of the head by large obstacles in the path of the same is effectively prevented by this improved and novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts embodied in m invention. I desire it to be understood t at I do not limit myself specifically to the details of construction as described herein, but that any changes may be made in the details of construction and the manner of operation of my dredge without departing from the spirit of the invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I clalm:

1. In a precious metal dredge, a suction conduit, and a box-like suction head communicating at its rear end with said conduit, the front end of said head bein inclined downwardl and forwardly and aving at its lower e ge an inlet, the sides and bottom of said head being extended forwardly beyond said inlet to provide a shovel lip.

2. In a precious metal dredge, a suction conduit, a box-like suction head communicating at its rear end with said conduit, the front end of said head being inclined downwardly' and forwardly an having at its lower edge an inlet, the sides and bottom of said head being extended forwardly beyond said inlet to provide a shovel lip, conveyer guides adjacent the upper and lower edges of said front end of the head and above the rear end of said head, and a driven conveyer trained around said guides for conveyin rock rearwardly over the head to prevent c ogging of the inlet thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LORENZO R. GAGE, Sn. Witnesses:

RUTH MGKENNEY, CHAS. O. Pn'mnson. 

